Engraving-plate holder



1. W. JENNER.

ENGRAVING PLATE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAI/29, 1920.

`1 ,347, 1 O 1 Patented July 20, 1920.

31a/veniva /WMJW @7272er a@ @6202 ma UNITED STATES PATENroFFlcI-z.

JAMES W. JENNER, or LoUisvILLE, KENTUCKY.

ENGRAVING-PLATE 'HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Y Patented July 20, 1920.

Application led `May 29, 1920. Serial No. 385,097.

at one time, polished simultaneously, 'and' imprints taken from all ofthem in one impression.

Another object of the invention is to provide an engraving-plate holderin which engraving plates can be held rigidly against lateral movementwithout the use of locking attachments usually employed in printing andengraving shops, and in a manner to avoid leaving sharp edges exposedbetween the plates themselves and the contacting portions of the plateholder.

These and other objects hereinafter set forth are attained by the meansillustratedV in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is aperspective view of the improved engraving-plate holder.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the holder showing aseries of engraving plates mounted therein, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same, also showingengraving plates mounted therein.

Similar reference numerals in all of the figures of the drawingdesignate like parts.

The present method of printing name or other cards, usually from copperengravingplates, consists of taking a single plate and securing it to asuitable bed, then inking the one plate, next polishing the same, andfinally making the impression. This slow and tedious method of engravingonly one card at a time requires the full service of one engraver, andconsequently makes the product costly, and in view thereof, it is one ofthe important objects of this invention, to provide a means for holdinga plurality of separate engraved card-plates each containing a differentinscription, and in a manner, whereby one engraver can ink, polish, andprint a plurality of cards at one time.

This improved engraving-plate holder is preferably formed from a steelblock of a Y* thicknessk ofv approximately .one-half an inch, and isformed on one side thereof with a` plurality of recesses 5, which arepreferably formed by planing, and each recess is of adepth slightly morethan the thickness of the engraved plates to be printed from, and of awidth equal to the width of said engraved plates, and preferably of alength equal to the combined length of three individual plates, andforming a marginal border having vertical walls 6 around the holder, anddivisional borders having vertical walls 7 vbetween the recesses. lVitha holder of this particular size, nine individ- Yual card-plates can beinked at one time,

and polished sii'nultaneously, and their inscriptions be transferred toa single sheet of paper or cardboard with one impression of the press.AfterV the required number of impressions have been made, the printedsheet is cut to the desired size of individual cards.

The recesses are formed slightly deeper than the usual copper engravedplates 8, so that a layer of suitable tag-board9 can be placed beneaththercopper plates, not only to forniva cushion for the plates, but alsoto build or elevate varying thicknesses of copper plates so that theirupper surfaces will be flush with the upper surfaces of the marginal anddivisional borders. Thus the upper exposed portions of the holder andthe upper surfaces of the copper plates being flush, an operator, withhis hands, or with the wiping cloth of a power press, can polish thewhole number of plates at one time as a single unit.

' It is not necessary that the holder be 'completely filled with plates,as one or more can be secured therein if the occasion demands, and theholders can be made of varying sizes governed by the size of theplate-press used.

In operation, when an engraver is supplied with 'a plurality of ordersfor differently engraved cards, he places the engraved plates of thecards desired in the holder, first inserting the tag-board base tosecure a flush surface, and if desired using wax to fasten the plates inposition and prevent their accidental` displacement, and then the whole,as a unit, is inked and polished either manually or mechanically, andfinally printed in the vusual manner, using only one sheet of paper orcardboard and afterward cut- Yting tothe desired sizes; I ILthisoperation of printing nine cards in this manner, one

engraving printer 1does jthefworlr of4 nine Y Awith very little eXtratrouble, thereby decreasing the'cost of the product to a great degree.

lt will beunderstood that any hardinate-V I rialV can be'used fortheholder other than '1.0 Y f ferentconditions.

steel, and, furthermore, Vthat the size and di-V onesideto providevertical retaining walls,

` 'said recess being of a depth slightly greater than the thickness ofthe plate to be printed from-,and of arwidth equal to the width of'saidl plate, whereby when'the plate is posi# 'tioned in the holder itis heldrigidly between the vertical walls andflush with thek uppersurfaces thereof.` A A l 2; An engraving-plate holder, comprising a hardblock of material having a recessin f one side thereof` toprovidevertical retain- 'ingfpwalls,`saidrecess lbeingof` a depthslightly" greater than thethicikness'of the plates to be insertedtherein, and of a width equal to the width of one of said plates, and

'of a length equal lto the multiple ofthe length of one,V of the plates,whereby when a series of plates are positioned in the holder andfcushioned with their adjacent ends abutting they will be heldrigidlybetween said vertical walls and flush with the upper surfacesthereof'.

3. An engraving-plate holder,'comprising a hard block of materialhaving-a plurality of recesses in one side thereof to provide verticalretaining walls around each recess, each of said recesses being'of adepth slightly greater than the thickness of the'plates to be insertedtherein, and of a width equal to the width of one ofsaid plates, and ofa length equal to the multiple of the length of one of the plates,whereby when a series of plates are positioned in theV holder`andcushioned lwith their adjacent ends. abutting they will beheldrigidly between 'said vertical'walls and Hush with the uppersurfaces thereof.

Tn testimony whereof I affix my signature.

